misnomer

noun

mis·​no·​mer ˌmis-ˈnō-mər 

1

: the misnaming of a person in a legal instrument

2

a

: a use of a wrong or inappropriate name

Nowadays it is a misnomer to call a farmer a peasant.

b

: a wrong name or inappropriate designation

The name "Greenland" is a misnomer, since much of the island is covered by a massive ice sheet.

misnomered

ˌmis-ˈnō-mərd 

adjective

Did you know?

Don't Mistake the Meaning of Misnomer

What’s in a name? Well, in some cases, a name will contain an error, a misunderstanding, or a mislabeling. Historians have long noted that the Holy Roman Empire was not holy, nor Roman, nor an empire. The Battle of Bunker Hill was actually fought on Breed’s Hill. And the Pennsylvania Dutch are in fact of German ancestry. For such cases, we have the term misnomer, which can refer both to the use of an incorrect or inappropriate designation (as in “it’s a misnomer to call an orca a ‘killer whale’”) or to the designation itself. Regardless, there’s no mistaking the source of misnomer: it comes from the Anglo-French verb mesnomer (“to misname”) and ultimately has its roots in nomen, the Latin word for “name.”

Examples of misnomer in a Sentence

“International Airport” is something of a misnomer, since almost all the arriving and departing flights are local.

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea of an assist by a goalkeeper, in a huge amount of cases, is almost a misnomer. —Nick Miller, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025

This milestone, in which the ionized soup became neutral atoms, is known as recombination (a misnomer, since nuclei and electrons had never combined before). —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 30 Jan. 2025

The misnomer arose because of these nebulas' planet-like appearance when viewed by early astronomers through small telescopes. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Jan. 2025

This is one of the big counter-arguments against the objectors: the fact that ‘Save Wimbledon Park’ is a bit of a misnomer. —Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English misnoumer, from Anglo-French mesnomer, from mes- mis- + nomer to name, from Latin nominare — more at nominate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

misnomer

noun

mis·​no·​mer (ˈ)mis-ˈnō-mər 

: a wrong or unsuitable name

Legal Definition

misnomer

noun

mis·​no·​mer ˌmis-ˈnō-mər 

: the misnaming of a person in a legal document or proceeding (as in a complaint or indictment)

specifically : the institution of proceedings against and service of process on the correct party using the incorrect name compare idem sonans

Note: Amendment of the pleadings is generally allowed in cases of misnomer.

Etymology

Anglo-French mesnomer, from mesnomer to misname, from Middle French mes- wrongly + nommer to name, from Latin nominare, from nomin-, nomen name